Undermine
by MCalhen
Summary: If his mother won't give him what he wants, Eyes Rutherford knows he can always turn to Kanone's mother instead. Side story to my multichapter story, Waning Youth.


_**AN:** I was going to write this in Waning Youth, but it hardly seemed relevant to the plot. I made a side story out of it instead. I was using "Eva" but with "Eyes" being so physically similar, for the sake of this story (since it mostly has Eva and Eyes) I've changed it to Evangeline most of the time so as not to confuse readers. D:_

_I really enjoy writing domestic scenes like this one. I have no idea why._

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><p>Evangeline Hilbert did <em>not<em> undermine Lydia Rutherford's parenting choices. There were many differences she would have made if Eyes had been her son, but he was not.

It was rare that Evangeline ever had to remind Eyes that she had no influence over his life. She couldn't grant him what his mother refused him. But she knew every time he did come to her with a complaint, it was because he knew she would bend.

The silver-haired preteen stood before her, still and deadpan. He wore all-black, a somewhat recent change in his wardrobe now that his mother no longer chose clothing for him. Lydia's little boy wasn't so small anymore.

"Your mother would kill me, Eyes," Evangeline reminded him. She continued to wipe down the barrel of her gun as she glowered at him. "If she already said you couldn't, you have your answer."

"It's just a piercing," said Eyes reasonably. "I have the money."

Even Evangeline had piercings and tattoos – some visible, others in places only Lydia, the doctors, and the tattoo artist had ever explored. A piercing would be nearly painless for Eyes. Everyone had to indulge in something frivolous and unnecessary once in a while. Lydia must have understood that, but she'd still refused to allow it.

Evangeline sighed and set her gun down upon the coffee table with a clatter to emphasize her frustration. "What did she say, Eyes? Did you even ask her before you came to me?"

"Yes."

"And?"

Eyes blinked and had the decency to appear ashamed. "She said I was a pianist, not a rock star." A long pause proceeded, and Evangeline raised her eyebrow sternly. "And that I was too young," Eyes finished.

Evangeline snorted. "Too young," she muttered. Both boys in the room could hear her, although she had almost forgotten Kanone was there. He was resting in a chair in the living room, stroking a cat while he watched Eyes persuade Evangeline into betrayal. Evangeline caught the amused expression on her son's face. No doubt Kanone was well aware of who would win. It might have even been his suggestion that Eyes take this up with her instead of leaving the matter to rest.

"It's just one ear," said Eyes.

"One is all it'll take for her to be furious with us." Evangeline narrowed her eyes at the boy. She knew better than to ask him for a good reason to want a piercing. There didn't have to be. They were an aesthetic pleasure. "Remember when you put that washable dye in your hair for Halloween?"

Eyes nodded, a slight grin on his face. Everyone had to remember that night – it had been just a few months ago. The boys had come down the stairs after applying the spray-on dye that lasted until they shampooed, but it was enough to upset Lydia. She had nearly cried to see her son's hair "ruined" by the dye job. She was relieved when Evangeline assured her that it would be gone before they went to bed that evening.

Evangeline had taken the boys to purchase the dye. After Kanone and Eyes left to go trick-or-treating, Lydia had scolded her.

There weren't many people who could raise their voice to her and live. She didn't appreciate being chastised by anyone.

Still, she sympathized with Eyes. Defiance was sometimes necessary. Evangeline would never tell her son that – thump him on the back of the head if he disobeyed and she knew. But she'd be worried if Kanone didn't misbehave sometimes. If a child blindly followed orders, they might grow to be pushed around. She didn't want that for either of the boys.

Besides, Eyes might get an earful, but Lydia would forgive the small crime.

"She is going to kill me," said Evangeline, smiling bitterly.

Eyes gave her one of his rare but very dashing smiles. She wondered if she should tell him that he would get off scot-free compared to what his mother would do to her. Then she decided that it would be awkward to explain what it was like to be shunned by one's lover – neither of the children were aware of their mothers' relationship.

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><p>Evangeline glanced in the rearview mirror at the two boys in the backseat. Kanone was admiring his brother's new earring. The boy had chosen his birthstone, though after a few weeks of careful cleaning and healing, he would eventually be allowed to switch it out for the few he had in a paper bag on his lap. At the parlor, Evangeline had asked Kanone if he wanted to get his ears pierced, or even get a tattoo, but the boy had shaken his head.<p>

"You look great, Eyes," said Kanone cheerfully. "Doesn't he, Mum?"

"Yes," Evangeline agreed. She only hoped Lydia would feel similarly.

As she turned onto the lane they lived on, she felt her heartbeat speed. She could handle Hunters ambushing her house and walk unflinchingly into danger, but facing her lover after going against her wishes? _That_ was something to fear.

The boys were out of the car as soon as she'd parked in the driveway. All three of them crossed the street to the Rutherford home. Perhaps Eyes was just as anxious as Evangeline to get the storm over with. He boldly entered the house as soon as he had unlocked the door with his key.

The house smelled strongly of shepherd's pie – the onion and carrot, the ground lamb, the potatoes. Evangeline realized just how hungry she was. They might just have eaten over, both her and Kanone, but Eva had a feeling that only her son would be getting dinner that evening. (Provided Lydia didn't see him as an accomplice.)

They all drifted into the kitchen, where Lydia was whipping potatoes in a bowl. Her blond hair was tied back in two pigtails and she wore a lacey, pale blue apron. She looked up at all of them in surprise as they entered.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

"We were out," said Evangeline, her voice coarse.

"Dinner will be ready in a little bit." Lydia turned to the two preteens beside Evangeline. "Why don't you both wash up?"

Both boys glanced up at Evangeline instead of obeying. They were going to leave the negotiations to her, but they wouldn't abandon her to take the brunt of Lydia Rutherford's anger. It would be cowardly of her not to face Lydia now, especially when Evangeline had so often lectured her son about not facing up to the truth.

"Eyes, show your mum what I let you do," said Evangeline.

Lydia's face darkened, and she set the bowl on the cabinet with a furious clatter. "What did you let him do?"

Eyes took a small step forward and placed his fingertip at his earlobe – gently, for it must have still been sore.

"Eyes Rutherford, you take that out of your ear now," scolded Lydia, fists clenching. "What did I tell you the last few dozen times you asked? I can't believe you went behind my back!" Her eyes switched to Evangeline. "How could you let him talk you into it?"

"It's just a piercing, Lydia," said Evangeline calmly.

"It's not up to you, is it?" Lydia turned back to her son impatiently. "Didn't I tell you to take it out?"

"It's already been done," said Evangeline. She was ignored.

"Mum…" Eyes backed away, closer to Evangeline.

"It won't hurt anyone for him to have it, Lydia. I said he could do it. Kids his age are really into this kind of thing."

"That's not the point! Eyes, take it out and hand it here." Lydia's voice was gentler as she held her hand out, palm upwards. Had she realized that this wasn't fully his fault? Kids wanted things all the time that they couldn't have. Evangeline realized just how much control in parenting she'd taken away from Lydia then.

"I'm sorry, Lydia. I shouldn't have. But let him keep it. Really."

Evangeline placed a warm arm around Eyes and drew him closer.

Lydia sighed, eyes watering. "Next he'll want one in his nose and on his lip and then it'll be tattoos…"

"He won't," assured Evangeline firmly. "It's one little indulgence."

Lydia seemed to gradually be accepting of the idea, but she did say, "We'll take about this later, Eva. Let me finish dinner. Boys, go clean up. Eyes, you're grounded for a month for disobeying me."

The boys left the kitchen. Even Kanone looked thoroughly apologetic, and he hadn't been reprimanded! The grounding would affect them both, perhaps, but Eyes was so rarely grounded that they were all unused to the changes in schedule it presented. Evangeline always thought it a silly punishment. Keeping the boys from playing outside and with each other would not do them any favors. It would make them upset, restless, and possibly home-bound enough to adapt to lazy habits. Out in the countryside, there wasn't much to take away from a child without depriving him.

"Let it be, Lydia," said Evangeline softly, folding her arms over her chest. "You're hurting Kanone as much as you are Eyes if you keep that boy locked up in the house for a month. Imagine how we'll both feel when our children are stuck at home alone with us."

"It probably won't last for more than a day," said Lydia, sighing. She sulkily returned to mashing up the potatoes, and then she spread them over the top of the shepherd's pie before placing it in the oven. She let the door shut with a bang and straightened up, angrily pulling off her oven mitt and tossing it to the countertop in frustration. "He looks less and less like a little boy these days."

"Not wanting him to grow up won't stop it from happening. Besides, he's never been a normal boy." Eva chuckled bitterly. "This is one of the most normal things he's ever done."

Lydia allowed a smile to creep onto her face. "Yes, I suppose. I still don't like it, but it could be much worse."

"A little pain tolerance never hurt anyone," said Evangeline cheerfully, hooking her thumbs into the front pockets of her jeans. "He took it rather well. I don't think he did more than blink when the girl used the gun on his ear."

"I would have preferred it if he'd cried…"

"Like you?" Evangeline glanced around to see that the boys were out of sight before she stepped forward to capture the tear on Lydia's cheek with a kiss. "You don't need to cry. I know I did something wrong. If I'd been in your place, I suppose I might've been mad."

Lydia hugged her, a sign of forgiveness. "It's just a piercing," she agreed. "If he's happy, I suppose that's all that matters."

"You got it," reassured Evangeline confidently. Though she didn't say it out loud, she was thoroughly bothered to see her lover upset. She made a promise to never to undermine Lydia's authority over Eyes again directly. She'd use Kanone instead – that boy could use a little mischief in his life.


End file.
